As strangely incongruous as it sounds, the Oklahoma University athletics department's new academics building is named after a man who works out of Dallas but lives in Lawrence.
The Prentice Gautt Academic Center was dedicated a couple of weeks ago.
Gautt is an associate commissioner of the Big 12 Conference, but chose not to move to Dallas. His wife, Sandy, is Kansas University's assistant provost.
Gautt's story has been told many times, but it bears repeating time and time again.
A talented multi-sport athlete at an all-black high school in Oklahoma City, Gautt enrolled at OU in the fall of 1956 and became the first African-American to play football for the Sooners.
If you've ever met Gautt -- he has many friends in Lawrence, particularly at First Presbyterian Church where he has served as an elder -- you know he talks about himself about as often as the Jayhawks play in a bowl game.
However, during the weekend of the dedication of the academic center that bears his name, Gautt was featured in the game-day football program.
Warren Corman, a long-time friend of Gautt attended the dedication ceremony, and sent me a copy of a story penned by Debbie Copp of the OU sports information office that contained many facts I either hadn't known or had forgotten.
Here are a few of them:
- Gautt went to OU on a four-year scholarship set up by a group of prominent black doctors and pharmacists in Oklahoma City who believed he had the strength of character necessary for the challenge.
- After OU coach Bud Wilkinson saw Gautt perform on the football field, Wilkinson returned the money to the doctors and pharmacists and gave Gautt an athletics scholarship.
- As an OU freshman, Gautt was denied service at a Tulsa restaurant. His teammates and coaches responded by walking out as a group.
- As a sophomore, he was not allowed to stay at the team's traditional Friday night headquarters in Oklahoma City. OU switched to another hotel.
- On each of his three trips to Dallas for the OU-Texas game, Gautt was not allowed to stay in the team hotel. Instead, he was taken to a black hotel where he roomed alone, then returned to the team hotel for the pre-game meal.
- At the 1959 Orange Bowl, Gautt was allowed to stay in the Sooners' Miami Beach hotel, but he couldn't swim in the hotel pool and had to sit with other players during meals.
- Gautt's 42-yard touchdown run against Syracuse in '59 was the first score by a black in the Orange Bowl. Gautt carried six times for 94 yards that day -- still a bowl yards-per-carry record (15.7).
- Gautt was the Sooners' leading rusher during the 1958 and 1959 seasons. He was named to the All-Big Eight team twice. Gautt was also an Academic All-American.
- Gautt played for the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL from 1961-67.
- He earned a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Missouri University.
At the dedication ceremony on Sept. 17, OU athletics director Joe Castiglione described Gautt as "a man of impeccable character. He proved a person could face huge odds and succeed with class and dignity."
Time and time again, Gautt has stressed he never considered himself a pioneer, even though he obviously was.
"Once I start something I don't quit," Gautt said. "I just went to the University of Oklahoma to study and be a part of the football program."
Humble words from a man who was, in truth, to the State of Oklahoma what Jackie Robinson was to major league baseball.
-- Chuck Woodling's phone message number is 832-7147. His e-mail address is cwoodling@ljworld.com.
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